Electric switch



A ril 4, 1939.

F. DE REAMER ELECTRIC SWITCH ori inal Fiied July 29,

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Inventor":

m a. R m e u c k 1 @WH. HW

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED. STATES ELECTRIC swrrcn Frank 0. De Reamer, Bridgeport, Com, 'assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application July' 29, 1936, Serial No.

93,237. Divided and this application Septemher 9, 1937, Serial No. 163,089

scams. 200-159 The present invention relates to push button operated electric switches. This application is a division of my application Serial Number 93,237, filed July 29, 1936.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved. construction and arrangement in switches of this type, and, for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electric switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3- is an exploded view of the switch; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the are provided with openings. through which extend the bared ends 6 of stranded line conductors I. With-this arrangement the bared ends of the conductors are fanned out and forced intov firm electrical contact with the sides 5 of the terminals when the sides of the terminals are clamped'together. The terminals are held in the recesses 3 by projections 8 on the terminals which fit into depressions 9 in the recesses. The upper end of the housing is closed by a sheet or member ID of insulating material which is provided with ears ll extending over the bosses 2. When the member I0 is secured to the top of the housing, the ears ll clamp the terminals securely in the recesses 3 and also increase the clamping effect of the sides of the terminals on the bared ends of the conductors thereby providing a connection between the terminals and the conductors which does not require soldering. The member In is secured to the top of the housing by$a metal plate l2 having tangs l3 which .are bent over a bead i l at the topgof the housing. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4', tangs. I3 engage the sides of the bosses 2 and locate the metal plate I2 on top of the housing. The tangs l3 also extend on. either side of the ears II and thereby prevent turning of the member It with respect to the housing. The conductors I are supported by an arm In on the plate 12. The conductors are first drawn tightly against the switch housing and are secured to the am He by ears l2b which are i'olded over the conductors. The metal plate I2 is secured to the lower end of a threaded sleeve It by spun-over portions l6. The switch may be mounted by extending the sleeve through 5 a support and by clamping the support between nuts l'l threaded on the sleeve.

In the sleeve I5 is a push button which comprisesa drawn tubular metal shell It, the closed end of the shell projecting beyond the sleeve I5 10 where it may be engaged by the operator, and the tubular body portion of the" shell being slidable in the sleeve. Within the shell ll isan operating rod l9 which is secured therein by a washer 20 pressed or wedged into the shell and held 15 therein by frictional engagement of the edges of the washer and the adjacent walls of the shell. The operating rod has a head 2| which provides a shoulder 22 co-operating with the washer to hold the operating rod in place. Thelower end 20 of the operating rod is guided in an opening 28 in the member Hi. There issuflicient clearance between the washer and the operating rod, and between the head 2| of the operating rod and the end of the shell I8, so that the operating rod 5 may have a limited angular movement in the shell, or, viewed from another aspect, the operating rod is free to swivel in the push button. The swiveling of the operating rod prevents binding of the operating rod in the guiding opening 30 23 in case the member I II is assembled so that this opening is not. in exact alignment with the operating rod. The operating rod I 9 projects below the member ID and the projecting end is provided with a reduced portion 24 on which is 35 loosely carried a washer 25 of insulating material. The washer 25- is held in place by turning over the end of the operating rod to form a flange so that the washer fits loosely between the flange and the shoulder at the upper end of 40 the reduced portion 24. Around the periphery of the washer is a metal rim 26 which serves as a bridging contact which co-operates withthe inner ends of terminals 4 to complete an electric circuit'between the terminals.

The push button is biased to the outer position shown in Fig. 2 by a coil spring 21 which is s esaw;

provide uniform contact with the terminals. The circuit between the terminals is broken by pushing the push button inward.

The switch shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is of the type in which the circuit through the switch is normally closed. In Fig. 5 is shown. a modification of the switch in which the circuit through the switch is normally open.

The construction of the switch shown in Fig. 5 is identical with the switch shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, except for the construction of the terminals, the stationary contacts. and the push button and the identical parts are indicated by the same reference numerals. The terminals comprise angular metal strips 30, the upper ends of which fit within the depressions 3, and the lower ends of which serve as solder lugs which are soldered to the bared ends 6 of the line conductors I. The upper ends of the strips are secured to contacts 3| which fit in grooves 32 in the switch housing. Atthe bottom the contacts are provided with a stepped portion 33 which is arranged to co-operate with the contact 26 on the lower end of the operating rod l9. Between the head 2l of the operating rod and the end of the shell I8 is a coil spring 34. This spring normally holds the shoulder 22 of the operating rod against the washer '20, but permits the operating rod to move upwardly in the push button when the resistance ofiered to further 'movement of the operating rod exceeds the tension of the spring. The push button is normally held in the position illustrated by the coil spring 21 which is arranged between the number in and the washer 20. In this position the contact 26 is held against the underside of the member l0 and the circuit between the contacts 3| is open. When the push button is pushed inward the contact 26 is moved into engagement with the stepped portions 33 of the contacts 3i, thereby completing the circuit between the contacts. During the initial movement of the push button the spring 34 is not compressed and the operating rod occupies the position in the push button illustrated. As soon as the contact pressure between the contacts 26 and 33 exceeds the tension of the spring 34 the operating rod moves upwardly with respect to the push button. The spring 34, therefore, provides a cushion between the operating rod and the push button, which limits the contact pressure between the contacts 26 and 33.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an electric switch, a push button having a tubular body, a washer secured therein, an operating rod slidably projecting through said washer and having a shoulder thereon cooperating with said washer to hold the rod in the push button, and a spring between the operating rod and the push button for holding said shoulder against said washer and for providing a cushion between the push button and the operating rod. 2. In an electric switch, a housing having a tubular sleeve, a push button having a tubular body slidable in said sleeve, a washer fixed in the body of said push button, an operating rod Drojecting through said washer and extending beyond said push button, a shoulder on said rod cooperating with said washer to hold the rod in the push button, guiding means for the operating rod, said operating rod having a loose fit in said washer permitting a limited angular movement with respect to the push button whereby binding of the guiding rod in its guiding means in decreased, and a coil spring arranged around said operating rod and extending within the body of the push button for biasing the push button outward.

3. In an electric switch, a housing, a tubular sleeve secured to said housing, a member of insulating material clamped between said sleeve and said housing, a push button having a tubular body slidable in said sleeve, an operating rod secured in said push button and projecting through a guiding opening in said member, and

a coil spring around said operating rod extending within the tubular body of the push button and engaging said member for biasing said push button outward.

4. In an electric switch, a housing, a tubular sleeve secured to said housing, a member of insulating material clamped between said sleeve and said housing, a push button having a tubular body slidable in said sleeve, a washer secured in said tubular body, an operating rod projecting through said washer and through a guiding opening in said member, a shoulder on said rod cooperating with said washer to hold the rod in the push button, said operating rod having a loose fit in said washer permitting a limited angular movementwith respect to the push button whereby binding of the guiding rod in said guiding opening is decreased, and a coil spring around said operating rod arranged between said washer and said member for biasing the push button outward.

sleeve secured to said housing, a member of insulating material clamped between said sleeve and said housing, a push button having a tubular body slidable in said sleeve, a washer secured" in said tubular body, an operating rod slidably projecting through said washer and through a guiding opening in said member, a shoulder on said rod cooperating with said washer to hold the rod in the push button, said rod having a loose fit in said washer permitting a limited angular movement with respect to the push button whereby binding of the guiding rod in said guiding opening is decreased, and a spring between the operating rod and the push button for holding-said shoulder against said washer and for providing a cushion between the push button and the operating rod.

6. In an electric switch, a housing, a tubular sleeve secured to the housing, a member of in-' ing, a metal plate secured to the housing and clamping said member in place, a tubular sleeve secured to said plate, a push button slidable in said sleeve and having an operating rod projecting through a guide opening in said member, and a coil spring around said operating engaging said member for biasing the push button outward.

' 8. In an electric switch, a housing; including a member of insulating material having an opening therein, a push button mounted on said housing and having an operating rod projecting through and guided in said opening, .and' a coil spring around the operating rod and engaging said member for biasing the push button outward.

FRANK C. DE REAMER.

rod and 5. In an electric switch, a housing, a tubular 

